There was no explanation as to why Puspita had failed, said Danny Daud Setiana, Puspita’s father, adding that his demands for an explanation in June had yet to receive a response. Hence, he planned to seek mediation through the National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI).

“We could accept it if she failed to go on to the next grade […] But when we saw her report card and found the zero grade, we were amazed because it was odd,” he said in Jakarta on Sunday.

Puspita was absent from school for two weeks in February due to an eye complaint, he said. However, the school could not find her sick leave letter. She also joined a biology Olympiad and had trained intensively for a week, causing her to miss classes. “She asked for a make-up exam or substitute assignment, but her teacher refused.”

Federation of Indonesian Teachers Associations secretary-general Retno Listyarti said it was impossible for a student to receive zero because the curriculum accumulates second semester results with those of the prior semester.

“Even if she was sick, she should’ve been allowed to do a make-up exam. She also joined an Olympiad; why didn’t the school consider that?” Retno said. (wnd/ags)

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